Waiver
You need to be a USHGA member for liability (waiver) and official observer purposes. If you are a US citizen or living in the US, you need to be a full member with at least a one-year membership. Foreign pilots will need a 3-month membership at least. If you are not a member you can apply at: http://www.ushga.org/membership.asp. I haven't got a web address for applying for 3-month membership. If you can't do it on-line we'll have membership applications in Zapata.
RV Parks:
Our standard lodging is at the Lake Shore Lodge and RV Park
other RV Park: http://www.fourseasons-rvpark.com/zapata.htm
Motels in Zapata:
Falcon Motor Hotel 956 - 765 - 4373 $47.30 / 2 $53.90
/ 3
Falcon Executive Inn 956 - 765 - 6982 $50.60 / 2 pool
Oso Blanco Motel & RV Park 956 - 765 - 4339 $49.50 / 2 $56.00 / 3
Best Western 956 - 765 - 8403 $62.00 / 2 $69.60 / 3 pool (rate w/AAA
discount)
Beacon Lodge 956 - 765 - 4616 $44.00 / 2 $52.00 / 3
New Harbor Lodge & RV Park 956 - 765 - 3095 $150.00 / 2 per week (apartment
Launch location:
Aerotow launches will take place at midfield closest to the hanger. Truck
towing (if required due to equipment failure or for paragliders) will take
place from the north end of the runway.
Pilots are encouraged to set up their gliders the night before and store
them in the hanger if there is sufficient room.
Going down behind locked gates:
Gary has been coordinating with Sheriff's department. This is important, since
FAR 103 allows pilots in "distress" to land nearly anywhere (of course
liable for any damages) but civil and other statutes don't allow individuals
(ground support) to ingress without permission. The Sheriff's department has
been working to notify all landowners but some are absentee, unavailable,
etc. Some small, chopped up parcels. Might involve multiple ingresses to
reach pilots at times. Notices in area papers also are being given. Even so,
we need to be able to either:
1) Get gates unlocked by Sheriff, or
2) Get ground support person over locked gate with bike, etc.
In second event, here is the procedure. We always notify Sheriff. He
authorizes our person as an extension of the municipal authority in a rescue
mode. Circumvents any trespassing ramifications. As long as we train them,
they follow the outlined procedures, and we notify the Sheriff each time,
shouldn't be any problems. I will have 4 numbers for the Sheriff including a
preferred contact point (dispatch, home, pager, cell).
Our current method for "rescuing" pilots behind locked gates near
(within 7
or 8 miles) of the airport is to send their driver for that day to get them.
The driver will have a local road map, a cell phone, a GPS, a radio, a
mountain bike, a folding cart, and a bike bracket. The driver is supposed to
use the map and the GPS to get as close as possible to the downed pilot.
He/she is then supposed to take the bicycle and put it over any locked gates
along with the folding cart.
The driver then bikes to the pilot, connects the cart to the glider (at the
balance point) and to the harness and carts them out to the gate. The pilot
is required to walk to the gate.
We need all pilots who can to bring their mountain bikes, second GPSes, have
radios in their vehicles, and to work with their drivers.
Getting to Zapata:
Corpus Christi or San Antonio are the closest big passenger airports. Laredo
is a very big airport but not for passengers with hang gliders (the planes
coming in are probably too small).
Davis Straub
davis@davisstraub.com
www.davisstraub.com/OZ